Turtle Poke Cake

Turtle Poke Cake has a chocolate cake base soaked with caramel and topped with a fluffy chocolate-caramel whipped cream and crunchy pecans. It’s everything you love about turtle candies—soft, gooey, chocolatey, and completely irresistible!

It’s no secret that the combo of chocolate, pecans and caramel (made popular by Turtle candies!) is one of my favorites!  So much so that I’ve created Turtle Cookies, Turtle Bars, Turtle Cake, Turtle Cobbler, No Bake Turtle Cheesecake and Turtle Ice Cream Dessert!  

And with my love of a good poke cake, I figured it was time for those two worlds to collide!  And I’m SOOO glad I did!!!

Ingredients Needed

• Chocolate Cake Mix – I like using Devil’s food cake mix or chocolate fudge cake mix.  You’ll also need the ingredients to make the cake according to the box instructions, likely including water, oil and eggs.
• Sweetened Condensed Milk – Don’t confuse this with evaporated milk!  
• Caramel Sauce – I use a jar of caramel sauce.  I don’t recommend using the plastic bottles of caramel syrup as it’s too runny.
• Whipped Topping – ie. Cool Whip
• Cocoa Powder 
• Pecans 

How to Make Turtle Poke Cake

Start by baking a chocolate cake in a 9×13 pan.  When it comes out of the oven, poke holes in the cake with the handle of a wooden spoon or a straw.

Combine the can of sweetened condensed milk and 1/2 cup of the caramel sauce in a medium mixing bowl and drizzle it over the warm cake.  Give it time to soak into the cake a bit then refrigerate.

When the cake is chilled, you’ll make the frosting.  (Don’t rush this – if it’s still warm, it’ll melt the topping!).

Whisk together the remaining caramel and the cocoa powder.  It’ll take a little time to incorporate the cocoa into the caramel, but rest assured it will!  Then fold in the whipped topping.

Spread over the top of the cake and sprinkle with the pecans.   

Other Topping Options

I love the chocolate caramel whipped cream that goes on the cake!  However, if you’re in a pinch and want it simplified a bit, you can opt to use a container of chocolate frosting or a tub of whipped cream (ie Cool Whip).  I’ve tried all of these options and they’re all delish!

To garnish the cake, I like adding additional caramel, fudge and chopped pecans.  You could also add mini chocolate chips, chocolate sprinkles and/or Turtle candies.

Want to Level Up??

I love that this recipe is so simple!  However, if you want to use fewer prepared ingredients and make more of it homemade, you absolutely can!  Here’s how…

• Make a Homemade Chocolate Cake – I highly recommend using my all-time favorite homemade 9×13-inch chocolate cake recipe! 
• Use Homemade Caramel Sauce – If you’re up for making a homemade caramel sauce, give this recipe a try!  Or a salted caramel sauce would be excellent, too!
• Make Stabilized Whipped Cream – I often get asked if whipped cream can be used in the place of Cool Whip.  If you’re going to enjoy it right away, a simple whipped cream is great.  If not, I recommend making a stabilized whipped cream so it doesn’t lose its volume.
• Toast the Pecans – Toasting the pecans releases oils and excess moisture from the nuts, increasing their flavor and making them more crunchy.  Toast them in the oven or on the stovetop.

Poke Cake Storage

Poke cake will last a 3-4 days refrigerated in an airtight container, but it’ll be best the first couple of days.

I do not recommend storing the cake in the freezer as it’ll be really soggy after the freeze-thaw process.

Other Poke Cake Recipes To Try

• Chocolate Poke Cake
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Poke Cake
• Funfetti Poke Cake
• Almond Joy Poke Cake
• Oreo Poke Cake
• Berry Cheesecake Poke Cake
• Butterfinger Cake